Come What May
by Rowena Bensel
Summary: [Written for the TCR Birthday Bash Day 5 prompt: Crossover] A rescue mission goes awry, and Haru is enchanted. Could Baron possibly stop it before midnight makes the spell permanent?


_Written for the TCR Birthday Bash Day 5 prompt: Crossover_

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Baron struggled in his bonds as he was brought from the dungeon to where Roland and his mother, the Lady Nix, held court. While the Bureau had succeeded in helping Princess Marianne and King Bog free their parents from the witch's castle, Baron and Haru had remained behind to ensure the others would get away. They had initially been held together, but then Haru had been taken away to who knew where. And now it was his turn.

When he came into the throne room, he was surprised to see the place filled with people, or more specifically, fairies. They were all dressed in beautiful gowns and suits of flower petals and leaves, and were dancing to the music that was playing. But there was something off with all of them, twisted wings, or limbs too long, or a skirt laying the wrong way for the style. It was an illusion, ugliness hiding under beauty.

A path was made through the dancefloor to drag him up to the dias, where Lady Nix and her closest courtiers sat at a table, the lady herself on a throne made from blackberry wood. She had black hair like night, and skin white as snow, only emphasized by the deep purple and blue of her gown. Her lips were painted the same purple, and her eyes, the only trait she shared with her son, were a green that could almost appear blue, if she ever stepped into the daylight. She too was twisted, the ribbed pattern on her gown looking more like insectine arms linked together in sleeves, and her face moved like a mask.

He was forced to his knees before her, and she smiled. "Well, the meddling Baron von Gikkingen. How have you enjoyed my hospitality?"

"It could be better," Baron said, pushing himself as far upright as his guards would let him. "I have not even been offered a cup of tea."

"Oh, my apologies. We believed you wouldn't accept one." She frowned softly, as if in genuine concern. She was good at faking her emotions, he would give her that. And he could play the same game.

"Oh, I wouldn't, but it's the principle of the thing."

"Well, I hope you will eat a little. After all, this is a celebration."

"A celebration of what?"

"My son finally has a bride." She motioned to her right, and Baron realized he was so focused on the witch he had ignored the others of the dias. He looked and his eyes widened in shock. "Haru!" He surged up against his guards, but they held him fast.

For it was Haru, sitting in a dainty throne next to Roland, wearing a white wedding gown and flower crown, her hair down and a veil over the back of it. She was smiling sweetly, but her eyes were blank, pupils dilated and sparkling like someone had thrown glitter into her face. She didn't even look at Baron, her gaze alternating from scanning the dancing crowd to staring adoringly at Roland.

Roland ran the back of a hand down Haru's cheek, then turned and grinned at Baron. "That's right. The perfect bride, brought right to my doorstep. Thank you for that, by the way."

"Let her go!"

"I'm sorry-" Lady Nix's voice said she wasn't "-But the spell is permanent. There's no counterspell, and I doubt you would be able to achieve the requirements to break it before midnight." She grinned, and motioned with her left hand.

The guards dragged Baron to a glowing circle on the left side of the dias. Once he was inside it, they released him, and golden spiderweb formed a cage around him, leaving one lattice open for him to look out. He pushed against the webbing, but it held fast.

"Please, enjoy yourself. And don't hope for rescue, the border guard has been doubled since your little break in." And with that, Lady Nix turned her attention away from him, speaking with a dark haired fairy whose ears twisted the wrong way.

Baron made a few more attempts to push against the barrier, but it was no use. So he fell into thinking. What spells were there to force someone to love another. Too many the count, and too many held the same symptoms to narrow it down. The only one he could be certain it was not was primrose potion, for that did not zone the victim out so much. And while he was certain Louise and the others would come to rescue them, they would not make it in time to save Haru.

He wracked his brain for hours, ignoring the food and drink offered by Nix's servants, for it surely was drugged as well. Each and every spell he could think of, he rejected, and while he outwardly kept himself stoic, inwardly, he was starting to panic.

He was broken from his cycle of thoughts when Roland stood, executing a elaborate bow as he offered Haru his hand. "It is five minutes to midnight. Would my bride like to dance before we head to bed?"

"Of course, my darling husband." She rose gracefully, where Baron knew she should have tripped in that skirt, and they walked around the table to the dance floor. The courtiers briefly parted to allow the couple through, then closed ranks and circled up, that only the fact the dias was raised quite high allowed Baron to even see Haru.

"Maestro! Music!" Roland called.

"Why don't we let our guest perform?" Lady Nix offered, her grin speaking of a private joke, a cruel one.

Roland grinned back to his mother. "And excellent idea! If you would, Mother?"

Lady Nix snapped her fingers, and Baron's cage moved from the end of the dias to in front of the table, just to her left. "Sing, Baron. Sing anything you want, so long as it comes from the heart, and the music will follow you."

There was an ulterior motive here. Something that they would probably use against him. For a moment, he considered refusing, but he caught Haru looking at him, the first glance she'd spared since he was brought in. And he could not refuse her.

He closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. The band started to play, Roland swept Haru away in his arms, and Baron let let his heart speak for him.

"_Never knew I could feel like this._" He started slow, almost hesitantly. "_Like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss. Everyday I love you more, and more._" He looked up, his attention solely focused on Haru, and his voice grew louder. "_Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing? Telling me to give you everything. Seasons may change, winter to spring." He paused, his breath catching for a moment. "I love you, until the end of time._"

The music played a few moments, before the dancing couple suddenly stopped, Haru with her back to the dias and Roland looking down with a questioning look. Then a crystal clear tone Baron never expected to hear rose up from the dance floor.

"_Come what may, come what may._" Haru slipped her hand from Roland's who was too stunned to stop her. She slowly turned, and Baron could see the unnatural sparkle leaving her eyes.

"_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place,_" she sang, looking up at Baron. "_Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace._"

Baron wrapped a hand around one of the bars of his cage as he began to sing with her. A moment later, the golden spiderweb began to dissolve around him. "_Suddenly my life doesn't seem, such a waste._"

"_It all revolves around you._" Haru smiled, and he could not help smiling back. As if repulsed by the intensity of it, the courtiers who stood between them backed away, leaving a clear path across the floor.

"_And there is no mountain too high, no river too wide. Sing out this song, and I will be there by your side. Strong clouds may gather, stars may collide._" The cage fully disappeared with a burst of golden dust, but Baron barely noticed it. "_But I'll love you, I love you till the end of time._"

With nothing between them now, Baron and Haru started walking towards each other. Whether by the innate magic of the duet, or some other reason, no one made any attempt to stop them.

"_Come what may, come what may, I will love you until my dying day. Come what may, come what may, come what may._"

They met in the middle of the floor, and a part of Baron's mind couldn't help but contemplate the picture they made. Himself, in shirtsleeves, vest and trousers, torn and stained from his imprisonment. Haru, picture perfect in a flowing gown and veil. And they reached for each other with no hesitation, her hand finding his shoulders, while his held her waist.

"_I will love you, until my dying day._"

Haru's eyes were still sparkling, but it was an inner light, one he was certain reflected in his own eyes.

"Baron," she said softly, almost unbelieving.

"Haru," he said back, and dipped his head down to rest his forehead against hers.

"NOOO!" An unholy screech erupted from Lady Nix, causing the pair to look up as she stood from her throne. "That spell was unbreakable!"

"Well, it seems you were wrong about that," Haru said, pressing closer to Baron.

Just then, the clock at the top of the ballroom stuck midnight, and the courtiers started to screech. At the third chime, the doors at the far end of the hall burst open, and Louise, Marianne and Bog King rushed in, an army of fairies, goblins, and elves behind them, their battle cries added to the din.

Baron pulled Haru to an alcove away from the fighting. Both were unarmed, and in their current states would be liabilities rather than assets.

She looked up to him, ernesty in her eyes. "Baron, do you really?"

"Yes. With all my heart." He raised a hand to her face, his palm against her cheek.

She leaned into it, just the slightest. "Then kiss me."

Under no power would be he able to deny her, and so he didn't.

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AN: I've been requested, and I have answered, this is a sequel to Strange Clients, my crossover from the 2017 TCR BDB. Maybe later on, I'll fill in the gaps of what happened between the two fics, but for now, feel free to speculate.


End file.
